CHAP. xxv. Stuffing Fish. 361 



in that an inside mould with which to stuff the fish. But the objection 

 to that sort of stuffing is that it is so heavy that in carriage the fins 

 and tail are so likely to get broken, whereas in the method above 

 given the stuffing is quite light. 



If your plaster of Paris has lost its virtues from exposure and 

 keeping it is easy to refresh them by putting the powder dry into a 

 pot over the fire until it bubbles freely like water boiling, and finally 

 ceases boiling in consequence of all the moisture having been expelled 

 from it. Then it will be as good as new, and the sooner you use it 

 the better it will set. 



For arsenical soap the following recipe may be relied on. Take 



36 Tolas of bar soap. 

 30 ,, white arsenic in powder. 

 12 ,, camphor. 

 4 ,, carbonate of potash. 



Put the soap in one pint of water, and let it simmer slowly for a 

 quarter of an hour. Then add the arsenic flour and well mix it. 

 Avoid the fumes, they are baneful. Pound the camphor in a little 

 spirits of wine, and add it when the soap mixture is lukewarm, and 

 the carbonate of potash when it is cold. 



This recipe is in a convenient form for Indians, if it is remembered 

 that the unit of weight, a tola, is exactly the weight of a rupee. It is 

 equivalent to 180 grains. 



I add another recipe, however, in English terms : 



Arsenic 2 pounds. 



English bar soap 2 ,, 



Salts of tartar 12 ounces. 



Camphor . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ,, 



Cut the soap into thin slices ; put it, with a pint of water, into a pot 

 over a gentle fire, stir it with a wooden spatula ; when the soap is 

 dissolved add the salts of tartar, take them off the fire, add the arsenic, 

 and, when lukewarm, the powdered camphor, mixing the whole well 

 together. 



Put the compound into a conveniently wide mouthed jar, or glazed 

 earthen pot, taking care to secure it well with bladder and twine. 



I have given the above recipes for making arsenical soap because 

 it is what I was taught to use as the only and accepted preparation 



